 | Album Title: Silent Hill Homecoming Soundtrack |
| Record Label: Konami of America | |
| Catalog No.: N/A | |
| Release Date: November 24, 2008 | |
| Purchase: Buy Used Copy |
Overview
Well, it seems like an appropriate name for a return to the Silent Hill franchise. Silent Hill: Homecoming is the second Silent Hill title we’ve seen this year, but the game continues the trend begun by Origins of filling in the Silent Hill canon. The good news is that the soundtrack from Akira Yamaoka is as good as ever. The recognizable style from previous soundtracks is preserved, while new elements are introduced to change things up a bit, including an atmospheric style that Yamaoka describes as “a different kind of fear” to match the franchise’s first appearance on a next-gen console. Additionally, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn makes her fifth contribution to the series with four vocal themes — some of which may be the franchise’s strongest vocal themes to date. All of this promises an exciting album, but does the Western promotional soundtrack deliver? Let’s take a look.
Body
Beginning with atmospheric and melodic tracks, let’s take a look at “Witchcraft”. This is a great way to start off the album in terms of scoring, because it perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the album. Many of the familiar Silent Hill sounds and effects make an appearance, including fuzzy, foggy piano reverb, synth reverb, background flute-like effects, and overall scratch that provides a bit of haze. Short, repetitive melodic segments are featured throughout the track, providing just enough variation to give the piece some movement. A light rhythmic segment is also included, bringing back the familiar syncopated rhythms through bass drums and associated drum synth. Of course, a track like this wouldn’t be complete without a little improvised decorative piano; the portions here are minimal, providing just the right accent for the rest of the track. Following this, “Cold Blood” brings many of these same elements but presents them in a different way. Among the synth chords, there’s a subtle hint of thunder in the background. It’s essentially a large rumble, but with the scratchy synth behind it, it gives the impression of rain. This piece features a stronger piano, but the volume it receives is perfect for showing a change in mood. When it becomes stronger (and when the lower octaves are introduced), the background synth increases in volume, only to die away as the piano segment stops. The heavy rhythm in this piece is also fantastic, as it blends extremely well in the second half of the track with the melodic elements introduced in the first half. Throughout all of this, the piece stays within a relatively small range of notes — within one octave for the most part, which is really cool.
Next, we have “The Terminal Show,” a slow and deliberate piece with a driving, repetitive, yet melodic piano line. Synth and scratch fill in the background before changing gears and moving into piano chords. A rhythmic intro brings in the percussive elements of the track — a cymbal- and snare-rim-heavy rhythm that gives just enough variation to break up the melodic elements. A constant background synth also helps to add a sense of depth to the track. “Snow Flower” introduces an element I haven’t heard often in Silent Hill pieces: reverses. Throughout the track, piano chords are reversed, adding an interesting sense of depth — the slow fade from almost nothing to crisp clarity is quite intriguing. This piece also offers a more constant rhythmic pattern — heavy on the bass drums, but still soft enough to provide structure without overwhelming the track. Melodic synth lines add texture, coming on top of the reverses and the rhythmic patterns, altogether creating a nice variation of sounds and styles in one piece. “Voodoo Girl” takes a lighter approach, aiming for upper-register noise and effects while mixing in light melodic elements. It could be argued that the synth and piano bring this track more into the category of the atmospheric/melodic pieces mentioned above; however, there is one added element: vocals. I don’t mean traditional singing, but a presence of ghostly wailing that creates an eerie, almost ethereal quality. Combined with the rest of the dissonant noise, it makes for a lot of interesting variation, which is why I’ve included it here.
The ‘fear’ themes are a new form of experimentation added to this album, intended to provide a new sense of atmosphere not previously seen in Silent Hill tracks. For the most part, I think they’re successful, although how truly different they are I’m not quite sure. Beginning with “Attitude #70,” this track has a brooding darkness about it. The entire piece is presented with deep synth and accompanying gurgles, scratch, and all-around murkiness — to most ears, this will probably sound like noise. However, it is noise with a purpose, rather than just melodic tinkering gone bad. I tend to imagine this piece coming out of high-quality speakers — something that could be expected for the new systems — and from that angle I can see how it would create a really interesting surround-sound experience. It’s something that really puts you deep within the halls of Silent Hill. In my opinion, this is what these ‘fear’ themes are designed to do: they’re less about suspense as seen on previous albums and more about immersive sound. “Regards” does this as well. For the most part, the track sounds similar, except this time there is a beat. It isn’t anything spectacular, but it’s subtle enough that it sits under the noise, giving the piece a bit more structure. Sound effects are also used to suggest driving wind and even malevolent laughing in the background. “Dead Monks” does much of what I’ve previously mentioned, bringing in a lot of noise, random vocals, a little rhythm, and strange synth and sound effects, producing that overall ‘fear’ atmosphere games like this demand to create a truly immersive experience.
Moving on to my favorite part of the album, we’re going to look at the four vocal themes, each performed by Silent Hill veteran Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. One thing I’ve noticed about these vocal tracks, compared to those from other games in the franchise, is an emphasis on lyrics. The lyrics for these four tracks have a clarity somewhat absent from earlier vocal pieces. Not only do they make sense and begin to tell a story, they relate more directly to the events of Silent Hill and its characters while remaining abstract enough to exist on their own. Another familiar theme is interrupted and fragmented thoughts. The lyrics bring this element into the spotlight and really enhance the overall mood and tension of the tracks. We begin with “Elle’s Theme,” the first theme to be attributed to a character specifically since Silent Hill 2‘s “Theme of Laura.” The piece is repetitive in melody and rhythm and is one of the slower vocal pieces in the set. A dissonant piano chord can be heard in the background throughout the entire track, while melodic elements are given through sweeping synth. An animated yet subtle rhythmic element provides some structure, while McGlynn’s vocals keep the track flowing. One thing that particularly intrigues me about this piece is that, without the vocals, it sounds like a normal Silent Hill in-game piece that we might hear on the soundtrack. This says a lot about the composition. McGlynn’s vocals really bring the piece to life, particularly in the second half where the vocals become layered, creating a web of melody that draws you in.
The next vocal theme, “Alex’s Theme,” is particularly minimalist in composition. The entire track consists of short ornamental synth in between phrases, a low sweeping synth in the background, and a fairly sparse rhythmic element featuring a strong lead beat and a few filler beats. Further into the track, this rhythmic element expands, but so subtly that you almost don’t notice it — a device I love, particularly with how the vocals are structured. I mentioned earlier the idea of fragmented thoughts or spoken segments, and this piece showcases that idea perfectly. Almost every line seems cut off, and yet you still understand how the lines are threaded together; the chorus, for example, demonstrates this extremely well. McGlynn’s vocals blend well with the overall minimalist sound, coming through loud and clear but with a whisper quality. The melodic phrasing is repetitive, but you don’t really notice because your attention is on the lyrics. Overall, I love how simple this piece is, and how different, yet similar, it is to other vocal tracks from the series.
Turning to the rock pieces, “This Sacred Line” takes us in the same direction as “I Want Love” and “Waiting For You” from Silent Hill 3. The rock kit and electric guitars that have become a signature of the franchise return, providing a great foundation for McGlynn’s vocals. However, this is somewhat a “standard” track after analyzing the previous Silent Hill vocal rock themes. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, there are only so many ways to present a rock vocal piece, and while each new piece in the franchise takes a different approach, they eventually begin to sound the same. This piece falls into that trap, and while it is a good track, it isn’t as memorable as I would have liked. “One More Soul to the Call,” on the other hand, ranks near the top of my list of favorite themes from the franchise. The longest piece on the album, this vocal track channels elements from “I Want Love,” “You’re Not Here,” and, more prominently, “Shot Down in Flames.” I really love how this whole track is put together: a strong rhythmic line, variation in the guitars and bass, great volume balance all around, and a belting, strong vocal performance. The lyrics also make this piece shine, particularly in the chorus, and the lines all merge together perfectly. When mixed with the music, it results in a real head-banger of a track that you can’t help but get into.
Summary
After listening to so many Silent Hill albums, I’m very surprised I haven’t become bored by them. I tend to think this is because I have a strange fascination with Silent Hill, but perhaps it has more to do with a “variations on a theme” approach to the music. With each new album, we’re presented with a different angle, a different perspective on similar and memorable themes that all carry an essence of Silent Hill. I’ve mentioned the Silent Hill Sound (SHS) before in other reviews, and I think with each new album I’m getting closer to finally giving the term a proper definition. This album almost perfectly represents the ideal SHS, both in presentation as an album and in the actual use of the music in the game. Everything has a mellow, otherworldly mood that draws you in and welcomes you to the town’s strange and horrific history. I’ve also noticed that with each new album in the series, there are fewer and fewer striking pieces that stand out as sounding “wrong” within the rest of the repertoire. This album has almost no serious flaws, though some pieces do sound too similar to one another. In terms of consistency, this album is probably the best in the series. In terms of variation, it doesn’t quite make it to the top. Altogether, I’m happy with how this album came out, and the vocal pieces definitely strengthen the album’s overall appeal. If you’re a Silent Hill fan, give this one a listen.
